Headlock
by smashingmolko
Summary: Naruto is given one last chance to find Sasuke and bring him back. Torn between his current lover Kiba, and his past lover Sasuke, Naruto has to decide exactly who he wants, will he even reach Sasuke let alone bring him back and what if he's too late? SasuxNaru NaruxKiba and even NaruxSai.
1. Searching for Sasuke

**Headlock.**

**A/n So this is my latest story! Okay so when it comes to updating I'm rather fail, and should be focusing on my other stories instead of starting a new one and then leaving it. But I just had to get this idea down before I lost it! This is my first KibaxNaruto and it's set in Shippuden. Well, actually very late shippuden if you want to be exact. I have added in an OC, but she's not a huge character, she's just a side line for the mean time. I am aware there will be confusion and maybe gaps, but I have not seen the latest episodes, read the latest manga so please tolerate my story, as most of it is me improvising O_o I'm actually kind of proud of this story, so review me and tell me what **_**you**_** think of it. Reviews make me amazingly happy and are what keep me updating *hint hint* So basically, read, enjoy, and review! P.s no spoilers intended.**

- Chantelle

Chapter one.

_Soft porcelain fingers traced over exposed, lightly tanned skin. Causing small goosebumps to appear and slight shivers to run down the boys back. Dark eyes scanned the body beside him, and lit up with warmth and passion when they met with brilliant cerulean orbs. Their gaze was long and meaningful. Moments passed before the pale hand lifted itself once more to gently cup the tanned boys face. The dark orbs watched as the males blue eyes darted downwards briefly in an act of shy cuteness. A pink blush painted itself on the males face as the hand tilted his chin up so he was forced to look at his lover._

"_Please don't look away. You're beautiful."_

_Sasuke's words were gentle and encouraging. He did as he was told and faced him. He didn't really want to look away in the first place. He wanted the moment to last forever. The two males kept their eyes locked even as they leant into a kiss. Naruto let a soft sigh escape his lips just before they met with Sasuke's, almost whimpering as the raven gently ran his fingers through thick golden locks. He in turn let his own hands explore Sasuke's dark hair, all the while keeping his eyes from fluttering shut. It was hard when everything felt so amazing, just being with his lover once more after so many years. His eyes started to sting slightly as droplets of tears threatened to spill. Sasuke managed to catch one that had escaped and sighed out of anger at himself._

"_I can't begin to apologize. After what I've put you through, I can't believe you would take me back, I was-"_

_Naruto's lips cut off the rest of his words, and he allowed his eyes to squeeze shut in order to cease his tears. He didn't want to hear any more. He couldn't bear to remember the agony of being apart from Sasuke. It was too fresh and too painful. He wanted to think of that moment and that moment only. He never wanted to waste another minute, especially one he spent with the Uchiha. _

"_It's okay. I've already forgiven you. Just stay with me." _

_He waited for a reply, but got none. He noticed he could no longer feel Sasuke's presence, and quickly opened his eyes to find Sasuke had gone. He opened his mouth to speak, but words wouldn't come out. He let hot tears spill down his cheeks and didn't bother to wipe them. Instead he sobbed. _

When he awoke, he was still crying. It had been this way night after night since Sasuke left him. Every night he would either wake up in a sweat crying out for the Uchiha, or other nights he would simply be crying. He wiped away the tears and rolled over, hugging into his pillow and hoping he could get back to sleep. It didn't seem like it would be possible, his body was still in pain from sobbing too much. He slowly got out of bed, trying to be silent so he didn't awaken Kiba his new partner. Before he left the room he glanced at the sleeping brunette and a guilty feeling stabbed through him because he still thought about his ex. He felt almost unfaithful, for both males. He felt like he was stabbing Sasuke in the back. When he did return, what would he tell him? He couldn't just leave Kiba, he had been his source of comfort right from the start, and yet here he was having feelings for another male. He couldn't move on, and he couldn't stay in the past. He was stuck somewhere in the middle and it was tearing him apart. He hesitated before leaving the room, suddenly wanting to hold Kiba and tell him he did care, and that he would move on, but his swollen eyes were a give away that it would just be another lie. He turned away and left the room. Kiba opened his eyes and watched the blond leave, saying nothing to grab his attention. So far he had pretended like he hadn't noticed what was going on. He didn't say anything because he didn't want Naruto to admit he was in love with some-one else. It would complicate things, and he wanted to be with him more then anything. He had pretended things were okay and he was oblivious to the situation, he just wasn't sure how much longer he could keep it up. He let his eyes stare through the space Naruto normally filled, and through the open door into dark emptiness for a little longer before he closed his eyes in a false slumber.

Naruto turned around in time to see Kiba pull back on the elastic in his boxers and let go. He let out a loud yelp when it snapped against his flesh, causing him to turn around and glare at the playful male. "Jerk! That really hurt!" He whined, pulling a sour face. Kiba smirked and grabbed a hold of his lovers hand before raising himself so he was level with the pouting blond. "I'm sorry, _baby_." He mocked, emphasising the word 'baby' in a teasing manner. He quickly landed a nip on Naruto's neck to show he was just playing around. Naruto was not impressed.

"Do you have to be so annoying?" He complained sitting down with a cup of coffee in his hands. Kiba shrugged.

"It's what I do." He added a wink to help wind up Naruto but it didn't seem to have an effect on the yawning male. Kiba rubbed at his eyes and allowed a frown to appear on his face.

"I can't believe you have to leave so early. This sucks, you go away for two weeks or more and we don't even get to spend the morning in bed together." He watched Naruto roll his eyes.

"Don't even get me started." He usually would be eager to go on a scouting mission, especially one that involved Sasuke. But for once he was starting to feel like he was wearing thin of hope. He was prepared for rejection and would not get his hopes up. He couldn't bring himself to self inflict such pain. It wasn't just his mind that was growing tired of never finding the raven, but also his body. He had been far too stressed for either his or Kiba's liking, and Naruto had a feeling Kiba was starting to get suspicious. There was an invisible tension between the two that they wanted to break, but knew very well would last until he gave up on Sasuke. He wanted that to happen but he doubted it would. Kiba chuckled and moved behind Naruto. Placing his hands on Naruto's shoulders gently.

"Well it'll make it even better for us when you get back." He purred into his ear, massaging the blondes shoulders. Naruto tilted his head forward in enjoyment. He let out a slight moan and grinned.

"Don't tease me you know I don't have long till I have to be ready." He made no attempt to swat away his partner though, and Kiba took this opportunity to continue.

"They won't mind if you're a little late will they? Just a harmless massage I promise.."

His smile at the end of his sentence gave away all the dirty thoughts and plans he had whirling around in his mind and Naruto decided it was best he did leave on time. He couldn't imagine being only 'a little late' if Kiba got his way. Pushing his chair out slightly forced the brunette to move and he quickly skulled the last of his coffee before moving to pick up his bags which he had pre-packed days before hand.

"I doubt what you have in mind is innocent. Try not to miss me too much when I'm gone."

Kiba pouted and pretended to be hurt. Ignoring this, Naruto begun to leave. Only pausing to turn and flash a warm grin. Kiba in return smiled and waved before returning his lips to his steaming cup of coffee as he leant against the chair Naruto had been sitting in. He wore his smile until he heard the 'click' of the door being shut, allowing only then to show a dark frown. Rubbing his hands across his face, Kiba began to wonder if any of it was worth it. The stress of when Naruto was away, or even when he wasn't. He knew it was Sasuke the blond thought of. He couldn't hold onto him forever.

There was an icy tension between the small group of four. Naruto was the last to arrive and the last to be informed. He chose to keep as silent as the rest, for he feared he knew the reason behind the lack of energy and faces drained of enthusiasm. It had been discussed before, and if Naruto had not been so desperately clinging to hope, it would have ended long ago; their search for Sasuke. He had begged, and pleaded, and abased himself to no end to convince them to continue searching. It was one vote against five, probably more. There were a lot of odds against Naruto, and the only reason his one vote pulled through, was because of the drastic measures he was willing to go through to prove Sasuke could still come back to them. After his performance in the Hokage mansion Sakura had not been able to properly look Naruto in the eyes. She had broken down in tears after seeing him completely forlorn and shattered, and since then Naruto had realized she wanted nothing more then to see him again in the same light that she did before. Naruto to her was the glue that kept the group strong, and seeing him break down had crushed her spirits. She would not face him until he had left behind the delusion of seeing their comrade again. He had tried to kill her, he had tried to kill Naruto, he was so bitter and resentful. She couldn't begin to understand why Naruto would fight so hard for someone like Sasuke. Did he not constantly preach about how people should respect their comrades? That someone who wasn't willing to risk their life for a friend, was not worthy of something so precious as friendship? It was all to contradicting. She could no longer bring herself to follow that same path. She had long since given up on Sasuke, and was also beginning to doubt Naruto. When she looked at Kakashi, she could tell he was as tired as she was. This scouting mission would be their last. They all knew it. No-one wanted to say it though, no-one wanted to make it official. There was a part in all of them that could not face the fact they were not willing to care for their comrade much longer. The one person who had no qualms about forgetting the raven, was Sai. Sai was the first to speak."Shall we get this over and done with then?"

The way he spoke of it, like it was just a burden. Like finding Sasuke never meant anything at all, like they never truly had any hopes of finding him, caused a slight stir in Naruto."Let's get the over and done with?" He begun. He was not yelling, rather quiet in fact. But everybody heard, and everybody heard the rising tension in his tone. He looked up to face Sai, who simply stared passively and patiently. "Naruto.. Please."

Sakura quietly begged, in a meek attempt to calm her friend before an arguing could take place. "It's hard for us too.." In what was supposed to be a word of comfort, an attempt to explain they were all upset by the situation, turned out to be a trigger. "It's not hard on you! You don't even care! You're so eager to 'get it over and done with' that you're willing to just give up on Sasuke! Just like that!" His words were spiteful and harsh, causing a slight cringe in Sakura, as she continued to listen to his rant. "You're not really his friend! You never were! You liked him until he left, then you moved onto the next best thing!" The unbearably depressed Naruto, was far better company then this new malicious blond that claimed to be her friend."Well look at you!" She yelled back. She immediately regretted her choice in words, but the contorted look of confusion and anger Naruto was giving her edged her on to continue. "Shacking up with Kiba! It's not like you stayed loyal. To either Sasuke _or_ Kiba! How can you talk like this when Kiba is at home waiting for you!" She knew all about Naruto's thoughts on both Kiba and Sasuke. He needed to confine in somebody after all. It was a bitter cheap shot, and Sakura turned away in disgust at her actions. She didn't want Naruto to see the angry tears that threatened to spill. Naruto had straightened up and went to move to turn her around so he could have the last say, but Kakashi had placed a hand on his shoulder. Warning him to end it. Naruto agreed to leave it at that; bitter silence. Throwing one last look at Sai that said 'this is all your fault.' Sai picked up on it, but no remorseful glance was returned.

Kakashi lead the way, accompanied by Naruto, with Sai walking along side Sakura closely behind. Both Naruto and Sakura appreciated the comforting silence and were grateful to be left in angry thought. Both out of place and incorrect. It was cleansing when the rain that had long before threatened itself finally fell with a loud rumble. Droplets falling in a fast and desperate pace. To Naruto, it felt like the sky was crying for him. He tilted his head up and allowed the rain to fall on him. Kakashi took note of this, and a soft sigh of sympathy escaped his clothed lips. "Almost as if there's somebody that knows isn't it?" His words seemed out of place, and Naruto hung his head in response. A soft look of despair washed over him."The sky always finds the appropriate times to rain. It always seems to become cold and grey whenever I visit my friends. It gives us a sense of comfort though. It rains when we're sad, the sun shines when we are at our happiest. It says what words can't."

Naruto knew who he was referring to by friends, Kakashi had also lost his comrades long ago. He chose not to speak, and Kakashi continued. "Remember how it snowed after Haku died?" Naruto did. He recalled Zabuza's words to the dead boy; _"Haku, are you weeping?"_ It felt like the sky was mourning the loss. Glancing at Kakashi, Naruto nodded. "I remember. That's how it feels now." After the third Hokage died, Naruto remembered a similar dark grey colouring in the sky. "We aren't all alone then. In some sense, it gives us hope. Once the rain has gone, there's room for sun. The ran will pass, and the sun will bring happiness. I feel like you've been forgetting this Naruto." In all truth, Naruto had. There had been good parts and bad parts, but lately Naruto had let himself wallow in the bad. He turned to flash Sakura an apologetic glance, but found her deep in conversation with Sai. There was distance that allowed neither conversations to be heard. He focused his attention back on Kakashi. "Do you think we'll find him. This is our last chance isn't it? We won't be given any more scouting missions, so do you think we'll ever see him again?" The topic that had been so taboo before was out. Kakashi gazed at Naruto before speaking his honest opinion. "We might. We might not. There are more odds then evens, but we won't let that stop us." Naruto wasn't sure wether or not this answer was pleasing, so he looked forward and thought about what he believed. He believed they could, but he didn't want to get his hopes up."Naruto." Kakashi started after a long pause. "They do want to find him. We all do, Sakura and I want to as much as you do. So does the village, we all mourn him. But that won't stop us from losing hope. Want is something different all together. We haven't lost it, we're just tired of holding on to it."

Kakashi watched as Naruto's face twisted. He had been holding in tears, hoping the rain would hide his fears, but now he was struggling to keep them in as they flowed effortlessly down his cheeks in plain sight. Sakura watched from behind as Kakashi wrapped a comforting shoulder around him. Wishing it was her that could find the right words and the right means to comfort Naruto and ease his pain. She had been waiting for him to cry for a long time and allowed a small smile to grace his lips. A gesture of care and relief for she knew he was suffering more by hiding his feelings. She looked to Sai who gave her an encouraging nod to move forward and be with her friend. When she did, she stopped in front of him and waited for Naruto to give his approval of her support. Kakashi continued onwards, and the two were left alone. Glancing up, he expected to see the hurt from earlier still plastered on Sakura's face. All he saw was forgiveness and compassion. As Naruto allowed himself to be pulled into a comforting embrace, he heard her mutter gently "We'll find him. I promise you, I won't stop searching, even when everyone else has." A gentle hand cradled his head. Sakura had made up her mind to make sure Naruto was reunited with Sasuke, so that everything could be as it was. Naruto trusted her words, and it wasn't long before his tears ceased and he pulled away to smile confidently. "No Sakura. We won't need to keep searching, we'll find him this time." A similar smile was returned with a simple nod before the two moved to catch up.

Part of Kiba told him it was unforgivable, what he was doing. There would be no explanation he could give to excuse his actions of jealousy. He screamed at himself in frustration as he watched his own body unwillingly pull out a box Naruto had kept full of pictures and other assorted memory related items his boyfriend had kept of Sasuke and made sure to destroy each and every item. Cutting Sasuke's face out of photos, and replacing it with pictures of his own face. He had lit a fire earlier to keep warm, and was now using it to erase Naruto's past. Throwing in a dried rose Sasuke had given Naruto when they first got together. He absent mindedly tossed a in a tee-shirt that once belonged to Sasuke, and watched numbly as the flames licked at the item before hissing and claiming the shirt as it's own. Hungrily devouring it. This set off an alarm in Kibas head. His body fighting with his conscience to control his anger. He allowed a scream to escape as he picked up Naruto's last item, and cute coffee cup covered in hearts, and threw it at the wall. There was an incredible shattering noise that had been drowned out by Kibas sobbing. The brunette crawled to the couch and cried, muttering to himself:"Naruto belongs to me now." and such things along that line. Burying his head in a nearby couch cushion, Kiba allowed himself to cry and yell until his body could bear it no more and he shut down, falling into a deep slumber.

The air was murky after the rain had lifted. The moisture had turned the ground to mud, and Naruto had to hold on to Sakura to keep her from slipping."Why do you wear shoes like that when you know you can't walk well in mud?" He asked as her foot fell from underneath her again, causing a momentary lack of balance and a quick hand to adhere desperately to Naruto's shoulder. "Considering we don't usually walk in mud, I never saw the problem!" She snapped. Naruto grinned, enjoying the old Sakura that had blessedly returned. Sakura turned to him, spotting the enormous smile. Naruto watched as her annoyed expression became an expression of fury."And _what_ exactly is so funny about me being covered in mud?" She spat. Knowing very well she was expecting him to come up with something seemingly funny about their current situation Naruto laughed nervously and moved a hand to scratch the back of his head, letting go of Sakura for a brief moment. A brief but fatal moment. Eyes wide with extreme horror, Naruto watched as Sakura once again slipped, this time with no support to keep her steady, she ungracefully fell backwards directly into the mud. Naruto watched as Sakura screamed and quickly tried to climb back onto her feet. He quickly grabbed a old of her delicate hand and pulled her back up. He was not at all surprised when a fist collided with his face. She didn't use as much force as she usually would to keep herself from tumbling backwards again. "Idiot! Now I'm completely soaked!" She raged at Naruto who was rubbing his nose pathetically. Kakashi let out a chuckle and started to walk again. Forgetting she was unable to walk alone in the mud, Sakura attempted to storm off, but much to her dismay fell back down in the cold pool of brown liquid. This time even Naruto laughed at the tragically drenched kunoichi.

Lifting one arm, Sasuke remained completely still as he allowed his fellow comrade, a rain village medic kunoichi named Chizuru, to wrap his wound in bandages. She made sure to be gentle and continuously flicked her gaze to Sasuke's face whenever a movement was made in case he conveyed signs of discomfort. After successfully dressing his wounds, Chizuru stepped back and bowed. Strands of long silver hair fell over her face. When she moved back to look at Sasuke, a slight blush crept over her cheeks when she felt his hands brush her hair behind her ear. "Thank you Chizuru, you have been a great help." Smiling, Chizuru accepted his praise and nodded slightly. "Anything you need Sasuke, just let me know." Sasuke's face remained unbiased as he nodded and moved to lie down on the bed that had been made up for him. Chizuru was one of the very few females he could find himself standing. He could proudly say the new group he had recently formed, had proved to be the most useful squad he had ever been on. Chizuru how successfully healed him after a rough encounter with a large group of sand ninja, the leader of the group being Kankuro himself. There was no doubt this would be reported to Konoha, and if it had not been for his team fighting of the many ninja while fought the Kazekage's older brother, Sasuke doubted he would have been able to make it. Fortunately, the three S rank ninja he had protecting him proved to be far too much for the sand nin, and they had no trouble defending him. Sasuke couldn't say much for Kankuro. Sasuke had thought of himself to be far more superior, but it would seem he was not the only one who had gained experience and strength. Although Kankuro put up a good fight, Sasuke had proved to be the stronger of the two. Not by an extreme amount though, for he had come out of it damaged of course. Once his eager opponent was rendered unconscious, Sasuke had fled along side his companions. Leaving Kankuro and the rest of his group to die. Sasuke was sure someone with as high a rank of Kankuro though would not be left wounded for long, and was desperate to heal so the four of them could flee. He no longer knew why he was running. It was over. All of it. But he still had to. He knew that much. He would never stop running, never stop fighting. It was his meaning of life now. He now had quite a hefty price on his head, and was wanted dead by nearly everyone he crossed paths with. He team knew this. They also knew about Itachi, and what Sasuke had done. He recalled speaking with Chizuru one night while the other two slept. Chizuru and Sasuke agreed to stay on guard and keep an eye on things. Sasuke had been lost in thought. A glazed look swept across his face while he focused on the nothingness that was surrounding them. A soft voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and he turned to Chizuru who was looking downwards feeling slightly embarrassed by her own curiosity.

"Sasuke-kun. Did you not realize once you'd killed Itachi you had made a mistake?"

The question took him by surprise, but Sasuke kept a composed look and answered her."Not at first. Then I did. I was upset, but there was no regret. Not after I had hated him for so long." He paused and looked at her, waiting for her to accept the answer and move on, but he knew she wouldn't. She still had more she needed to know. He could tell by the way she filled with her forehead protector that she was clutching."You knew it was wrong right though? You knew revenge was wrong?"

Sasuke nodded. He had often thought about how different things would be if he had not chased after Orochimaru."So why? You could have stopped.. You just kept on going. You couldn't blame yourself could you, so you blamed the village, and made it your goal to kill more people!"

Her voice had risen and she seemed flushed with anger. This surprised Sasuke, who had never known some-one as quiet and peaceful and Chizuru to lash out about something that had nothing to do with her. Instead of responding with the same harshness of tone and words, Sasuke simply sighed."Because that was the path I chose. I couldn't go back on it." She seemed to accept that, already he could see she was annoyed with herself and probably thinking of a harsh way to punish herself for her rudeness. It wasn't rude though. Everything she said was true, and he now had too much time to realize his mistakes. The subject was then dropped, and the two continued onwards as they had before, but there was a bitter tension that followed and never quite left. He thought of this as he watched her retreating back. Left in peace at last, Sasuke decided to sleep off his injuries. As soon as he was healed, he would be on the move again. There was no doubt Konoha would be hunting him down shortly, and he was far too close to the sand village to feel comfortable.

When Sasuke awoke next, it was to Chizuru's whispered apologies. Sasuke kept his eyes closed and listened carefully to whatever she was talking about, and waited. When it was silent, he opened his eyes to pitch black with a silhouette of said girl. Quickly his eyes adjusted, and he noticed what appeared to be a needle clutch in her hand. Sasuke watched intrigued as she lifted his arm and tightened one of the bandages around his arm, trying to lure a vein into standing out. Sasuke was slightly dazed but still very well aware of what was going to happen next."I'm sorry." She whispered once more before lifting the needle slightly. Flicking his hand upward Sasuke caught a hold of her wrist and held it in place before anything could be injected into him.

"For what. What do you think you're doing to me?" His voice was calm and collected, as if he were giving her one more chance to back out of the situation. Even in the dark Sasuke could see the look of utter horror on Chizuru's face and the tears that streamed down her cheeks. She had been crying for a while now it would seem. When she spoke her voice trembled with fear.

"I-I don't.. Want to.. S-Sasuke. It was them! They made me!" She was frantically tugging at her arm, but Sasuke's grip only tightened. He was suddenly aware that the small group of 'helpers' he had been accompanied by were not actually on his side, and he was not letting her go that easily, no matter how innocent she may have been. All innocence was lost when she attempted to drug him.

"What's in the needle?" He asked. He had some idea, but wanted her to be honest. He was giving her one last chance before he killed her right then and there.

"I-It's a medicine to make you d-drowsy. It puts you in a-a state of deli-delirium."

She explained. He had not promised to grant her freedom, so he felt no guilt in stealing the needle from the shivering girl, and stabbing it into her arm in one quick movement. Sasuke knew she could have put up a fight if she truly wanted, but she hadn't wanted to in the first place. She shrieked in pain, and he quickly finished injecting the liquid into her, before getting up and scanning the room for an escape. Seeing none, he simply closed eyes and teleported himself out of the room. He didn't end up getting too far, and could already sense the other two hot on his heels. Figuring there would be some sort of chase that he could do without, Sasuke froze on the spot, and waiting for the sound of running footsteps to slowly get closer. Without hesitation, Sasuke formed chidori and held the ball of chakra perfectly in his hand before turning to face his comrade. There was a pause, and before a move could be made, Sasuke pushed forward and struck him. The chakra piercing the other male before he could even detect Sasuke moving. The blood that splattered and drenched Sasuke was an indicator that the other male was dead. The raven then made his way back to his hide out, wanting to finish off the last member of the squad before any more trouble could arise.

The loud crackling of the fire was what awoke Naruto. He sat up, finding that now he was awake, he was far too eager to fall back asleep. Besides, looking up to see Sakura straining to keep her eyes open was reason enough for Naruto to keep from sleeping. Making his consciousness obvious to Sakura, Naruto stood up and stretched.

"Sleep." He ordered. He expected Sakura to protest, but instead she finally lay herself down and closed her eyes. Smiling warmly, Naruto placed a blanket over her and let her rest. Grabbing his own blanket, Naruto wrapped it around his shoulder and sat infront of the fire Sakura had so kindly kept going. Picking a stick, Naruto poked at the burning wood that had started to break down. Watching flames flickering upwards in protest. Tossing his poking stick into the fire, Naruto watched the brilliant colours dance and contort. Seemingly changing colours as the yellows and the oranges and the reds mixed together and swirled. Naruto seemed entranced, his eyes following the alluring dance. Losing himself in thought all together.

"_Well look at you! Shacking up with Kiba! It's not like you stayed loyal. To either Sasuke or Kiba! How can you talk like this when Kiba is at home waiting for you!" _Sakura's words replayed in his head.

_Kiba. He doesn't really think that does he?_ Naruto asked himself, knowing very well if he had to ask, he clearly didn't know, so there fore asking himself was not going to help him find the answers he needed. He didn't think Kiba thought of himself as second best. Naruto certainly never thought of him as that. He doubted Kiba would ever feel inferior, the male had an ego larger then was physically impossible. Surely he didn't believe he could lose Naruto to someone who wasn't even there?_I'm not being unloyal.. It's not like Sasuke is saving himself for when he returns? _He had often thought he was giving up on Sasuke. Cursed himself for forgetting about the raven, and cursing himself for remembering him for Kiba's sake. But he never felt unfaithful. He had never been with anyone other then Kiba since Sasuke left, and Sasuke had clearly ended their relationship, so he could not expect Naruto to stay lonely and hopeful forever.Shaking this off, Naruto decided it was best to leave his problems behind, and focus on trying to bring back Sasuke. He still hadn't the slightest idea what he would do if they even caught up to him. This time, there was a high chance they would, what with news they had been in the Sand village area less then two days ago. This time, Naruto would make sure they caught up with Sasuke. He started to think over what he would say. Would Sasuke even want to fight? He had surely done enough damage to want to continue living the way he was. Maybe he wanted to come back, but was too scared of the consequences that could await him? Naruto had often wondered if the village could forgive the last Uchiha. He had high hopes that Sasuke would be forgiven.

"It'll make things easier for us both if you come out now." Sasuke kept his voice calm, wanting the frightened girl to reveal herself. The only reason he decided she did not need to be murdered was because she did not have a killer instinct. There was not a vicious bone in her body that could cause trouble for him, and he had grown slightly fond of Chizuru. She was kind and so far even despite her attempts to drug Sasuke was currently the only person he could trust. She was in fact hiding inside one of the walls in the room Sasuke was searching. He had seen her chakra before he had even entered the room, but wanted to give her the chance to uncover herself. He listened to her short, quick breaths and decided to end her agony. She would not come out of her 'hiding spot' without his help. Drawing his katana from it's holder, Sasuke stuck the wall infront of him, making sure to avoid Chizuru who was frantically trying to escape the blades wrath. She began to scream in terror. Suddenly realizing that now she had been caught she could cry out for help."Are you going to stop now?" He asked gently, replacing his katana once the wall had fell apart and released the shaking girl who now lay on a bed of rubble. Quickly climbing to her feet, Chizuru stood and faced Sasuke. When she spoke it was only to ask for mercy."P-please. I-I'm only a med-Medic Nin-ninja, I am not w-worth killing." She looked down as tears stained her dirty cheeks. The red of the activated Sharingan in Sasukes eyes left and revealed a gentle, calm ebony. When Chizuru glanced up she noticed the change in the Uchiha and a sigh of relief escaped her lips before her legs fell from underneath her and her eyes closed completely. Sasuke moved to catch her, placing the unconscious girl on the bed he himself had only just been lying on earlier. The empty syringe on the floor reminded Sasuke of the state of mind she had been in. He thought about staying and waiting until she was awake again so he could allow her to accompany him, but he had no time. He needed to continue moving, and he was unsure of how long it would take before Chizuru was mobile again. Sasuke advanced once he had placed a blanket over the sleeping kunoichi. He made no attempt to look back and think twice about his decision as he left the safety of the hideout behind him. Only a two or three more hours until the sun would rise. He wanted to be as far away as possible before then. His casual walk soon turned into a sprint as he thought over the nearby locations he could reside in.

It was an early start for team seven who all agreed to continue their search before sunrise. If they moved quickly, it would only take less then a day of travelling to reach the Sand village. As always, Naruto lead the way at a desperate pace. No-one bothered to slow him down, each member of the group as eager to reach the village as soon as possible. The rain had lifted and there was now was a thick fog which would soon be replaced with sand as they neared the boarder of the forest. "Why did the Sand village not choose to pursuit Sasuke themselves? Was the Kazekages brother Kankuro not critically injured? They may have been able to catch up?" Sai asked. It was Kakashi who answered him."Naruto is the one who wishes to bring back Sasuke. Although Sasuke is an S-rank criminal and highly wanted by many people, Sasuke cannot be harmed until Naruto has caught him and brought him back to the village. Well, that is if he passes this mission and succeeds in doing so. This is the last scouting mission we have been granted. After this if we still have not found him, anyone who does is free to put him to death. The Sand village agreed long ago that there would be no interference, what happened between Kankuro and Sasuke was sheer coincidence-""Meaning they hadn't meant to cross paths, and both Sasuke and Kankuro were only defending themselves. This is good though because now we have a lead." Sakura cut in, finishing off what Kakashi had been trying to explain. Sai nodded to show he understood. Sasuke had slipped up and Sakura smirked at his carelessness. Even if she did doubt he still cared all that much if he whereabouts was made known to the Leaf village, this meant they could find him, and finally bring him back. **A/N If it seems all over the place that's because it's only the first chapter :P This is actually one of my longest chapters ever I'm proud to say and I have a lot of ideas swirling around about this story! Please review! Even if it's just a "I hated it" or a "I liked it" I need opinions so I know if I'm writing things the way you want them ;) Thanks for reading! Tell me how you felt about it! Kaygo (:**


	2. Desperation

**Headlock.**

**A/n **

_**Disclaimer**_**; I don't own the characters in this story, or technically the setting either. That belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. The story line though belongs to me, and is a part of my own imagination. I wrote 'headlock' and take ownership of it. This is chapter two, and I don't have much to say about it at this point, but I want to try something different with it. Read and review. **

- Chantelle

Chapter two.

The hot sand that sunk beneath their quick footsteps was a contrast to the sludgy but solid mud they had earlier been travelling across. The sand seemed to swirl and change around their feet, and Kakashi had ordered the group to stay close and at a steady pace in case of a sand storm that had been threatening to throw them off course since they stepped foot in the desert wasteland. It frustrated Naruto to no end, knowing how close they were to finally finding Sasuke and having to stop and break every so often. It seemed all odds were against the small group, the change in scenery having slowed them down completely. Kakashi had sent a message via hawk to Kazekage Gaara, asking him to send a messenger to meet them half way. Even he was beginning to doubt they'd make it to the sand village in time for the information to be of any use to them. The four had made a pit stop in a small grotto that was shielded from the bitter wind and decided to wait until it was calm enough to continue onwards. Kakashi stole a glance at Naruto who was fidgeting with the contents of his bag. He had pulled out everything he was carrying and counted and checked everything was in good condition several times now which was several times too many.  
"Naruto. Relax."  
Everyone's attention had now turned towards said male.  
"And how am I supposed to do that, when Sasuke could be miles away by now, and we're busy sitting in a cave doing nothing!" Kakashi wasn't the least bit surprised by Narutos tone. They had all been on edge since the start of the mission, which was nothing new. The lack of success was always expected and never taken easily.

"On some levels, you are right. But, if we leave now we'll end up becoming separated, lost and most probably killed. I can assure you that will be of less help and will take a lot longer then waiting this out. Now, sit still and be patient Naruto."  
There was no arguing with that. Sakura nodded and Sai simply turned his gaze elsewhere. Not really giving any thought to being stuck in the grotto. Naruto looked hesitant but shortly he also nodded and gave Kakashi a fake but reassuring grin.  
"Then I guess that just means once this sand storm is over we'll have to work even harder to get to the Sand village before nightfall."  
His words were enthusiastic but halfhearted. Kakashi could see it in Naruto's face that the boy had reached a point of absolute desperation, there were no more chances after this one and Naruto was more determined then ever to make sure things finally went their way. Even if they found the raven though, Kakashi knew full well Sasuke would put up a fight, he could easily slip from their hands again and that would be it. Kakashi valued the lives of his squad over the Uchiha's, and if anything happened he would pull them out and end the mission immediately without question. Which was why the thought of finding Sasuke also worried him. He knew it, and so did the others that success was almost fictional in this case. Looking at Naruto who was now staring out into the sand storm lost in a daze pained him. After everything the group had been through, this was by far the hardest. The look in Narutos eyes reminded him of the day Sasuke had left. When Naruto had finally woken up, all he saw was grief. Naruto didn't deserve to suffer any more, he knew that, and Sasuke had known that. Sasuke knew, and yet he still walked away. It infuriated Kakashi, and the older male wasn't sure exactly how he should have felt. Angry? Sad? Spiteful? No matter how much anger and sorrow he felt, Kakashi could never be spiteful. Sasuke had been his closest student; the two had seen eye to eye and somehow, that made him feel more inclined to be spiteful. He had given up on Sasuke a long time ago, and although he encouraged Narutos determined and persistent attitude, he wished Naruto would as well.

The weather outside was turning Kiba noticed when he finally pulled open the curtains. He hadn't tried to clean up yet. He didn't know if he should. He wanted Naruto to see he decided. He wanted his partner to realize what had become of him. He was a mess, and Kiba truly blamed Sasuke. If Naruto could only see sense and forget about the tosser, the two of them could be happy. There was no more avoiding it he decided. He would force Naruto to make a choice. Grabbing his coat Kiba ventured outside and called out to Akamaru who had been lazing about around the back, letting the rising sun warm his furry body. He didn't take his time wandering over to his owner. He was greeted with a treat and a pat but the brunette wasn't as friendly and happy as he usually was. Kiba in all honesty had taken Akamaru on a walk mostly to clear his head and because he couldn't bear to leave him behind after having shut the dog outside all night. Not because he wanted company. It was fairly early and no one was up which suited Kiba just fine. He figured if anyone saw him they would just assume he was walking Akamaru and leave him alone like usual. He didn't want to face the world just yet, but he didn't want to keep himself locked up. Beside him, Akamaru whined. Distressed by Kibas foul mood.  
"It'll be okay soon boy, I'll sort it out."

Every shop, every house, everything. It all looked the same now. It all passed by with no significance. Sasuke barely noticed anything as he dragged himself onwards. His mind had long since separated from his body and he was now wandering aimlessly with no real thought. He had nowhere to go anyway. He had originally headed for a small hideout he'd known about for a while that sat on the border of the wind country, just outside of a small village that almost might not have existed it was so far out. It had belonged to the Akatsuki and Sasuke had found it not long before he met up with Chizuru and the others. When he had finally reached it, he found it had been burnt to the ground. He had gone back to the village and asked someone about it. They told him it had been burnt down by the villagers who after hearing about the Akatsuki having finally been killed off thought it was a place of evil and wanted to rid their village of any more possible threats. They were more traditional then a lot of other villages Sasuke had noticed. He could tell by the way they presented themselves and their village, and by the way they shunned people who passed by, him included. Though he wasn't welcome in most villages, this one was an exception. They didn't know who he was. He decided he could stick around for the meantime without fear of attack or being arrested and so that was how he found himself walking around and hoping to find somewhere to stay. He had to drag his feet, which no longer wished to move for him. His body was weak and he had no more energy. Finding shade beneath an old, bent over tree, Sasuke let himself rest against it and slid to the ground. Sasuke let his head fall backwards and rest against the tree and shut his eyes, feeling the still, warm breeze brush against him. A storm was coming, he could feel it. The black clouds had already covered the darkening sky and the breeze was slowly but surely picking up. He ignored this and chose to relax while he had a chance. He could hear someone shuffling towards him and forced his eyes open again. So much for rest. Sitting upright Sasuke turned his attention towards the sound of the footsteps and noticed an elderly woman making her way over to him. Curious, Sasuke stood up and brushed himself off. When she reached him she grabbed his hand and started to walk back in the direction she came from.  
"It's not safe out here, come with me."  
Sasuke didn't feel the need to decline her offer so he followed her. He no longer felt a sense of stubborn pride, he had accepted he was reliant on whatever help he could get. He had long since realized he needed help from other people. As independent as he was, there were some things he just couldn't do on his own. He stole a glance at his newest companion; a small, fragile woman who was dressed in rags. Her thin hair white hair was pulled back into a bun, and when she turned to look at him he noticed just how worn out and broken she looked. Another thing he noticed was the colour of her eyes. A brilliant grey that held sorrow and at the same time strength. He for a second recognized something about her, he wasn't sure what because he'd never in his life seen her. But there was something there that he'd seen the two of them reached a small house that stood on its own the old lady ushered him inside, turning to check no-one was watching them. When Sasuke entered he noticed how few possessions she actually had and raised an eyebrow.  
"Do you live here?"  
He wondered. It didn't look like it. Not much had been touched and everything had been coated with a thick layer of dust. From what he could tell the only thing that been used was a chair and an old worn out cardboard box that sat on the kitchen table. Everything was dim and the curtains had not been pulled. He turned to look at her and she simply shook her head.  
"No. This was where my daughter and her husband lived before our village was attacked."  
She moved to the small unmade bed that sat in the corner and motioned for him to come and sit. When he did she made her way over to the kettle and put it on. She continued with her story as she searched for two cups.  
"Our village lived in peace. We minded our own business, and kept out of the way of the rest of the surrounding villages, and so we were never swept into war. It was at night when it happened, we were all asleep and we woke up to the sounds of screaming and when I ran outside to see what was going on, the air was thick and heavy with smoke. Rogue ninja had come and most of our houses were burnt to the ground. Quite a number of us were killed, including my daughters' husband. We rebuilt our village but my daughter, Tsuki, was not reassured. She came to stay with me and had grown restless with fear. Months passed and there was no more damage to our village. We had sand ninja hunt down the people responsible but she still wouldn't listen."  
Looking up she received a nod from Sasuke and continued to make for the two of them while she spoke.  
"Then, we received news about the Akatsuki. They had been spotted from a neighbouring village and we were warned that they could still be around the area. They in fact had a hideout not far from our village, and even though it was empty when it was found, the rest of the villagers started to panic, believing it would bring war to our village. My daughter heard and fled. I was too old to chase after her, so I sent a couple of the younger men to go and bring her back but she had disappeared completely."  
She handed him his cup of green tea and went back to the box that sat on the table.  
"I don't like to come here, but you're a lot safer here."  
He didn't quite understand what she meant. What did she mean he wasn't safe? She had just finished telling him that the village was peaceful.  
"Safe from what?"  
She sipped her tea and so did he. It was a few mouthfuls later that he realized how odd it tasted, and he discretely spat back into the cup in disgust. A smirk had crossed over her lips he noticed, making him feel uncomfortable.  
"Why from the people of this village."  
She was still smiling and it unnerved him.  
"The villagers? Why?"  
He placed his cup on the ground when he realized he was becoming more fatigued, in case he accidentally dropped it. She had advanced towards him and rested her hand on his forehead to check his temperature. He pulled back immediately and fell back onto the bed.  
"You're Sasuke Uchiha. To them you're a threat. Just relax, and I'll help you."  
Her voice had warped and a wave of panic washed over him when he tried to move and his body refused to.  
"How do you know? Who-"  
His eyes closed and before he could finish asking, he was fast asleep.

"Thank you for coming. We wouldn't have asked if we weren't desperate for time."  
"Not at all. I would have done more if I could."  
Naruto fidgeted. Wishing desperately that they would either hurry up or time would slow down for them. What was with these formalities anyway? Surely Sasuke wouldn't wait for them while Kakashi made idle chat with Gaara. He may have been the Kazekage, but at the end of the day he was their friend, and he would not care if they were blunt and hasty. Shoving his hands in his pockets, Kakashi glanced at Naruto who was noticeably uncomfortable. Now that they were able to travel through the desert they had to be on their way as soon as they possibly could. He understood that when Gaara said he would have done more, he meant he would have chased after Sasuke himself if he hadn't been warned not to. Kakashi shook his head.  
"I know. Can you tell us which way he went?"  
He was talking to a younger ninja now. The boy not much younger than Naruto. His arm was pulled into a sling and there were visible cuts and bruises on his face, clearly indicating that he was one of the attacked ninja. Gaara rested a hand on his shoulder and spoke for him.  
"Yuji will lead you to where he was attacked and point you in the right direction."  
There was one other ninja with them, a tall, well built man with a stern look on his face. He was the eldest in the group, and Naruto wondered wether or not he would be joining them or if he was going to escort Gaara back to the sand village. Gaara looked at him and the two of them nodded before the older male started in the direction they were to head off in. The young sand ninja joined him. Gaara coughed slightly and gained the attention of squad 7.  
"I won't hinder you any longer. I only came to wish you luck. My friends Yuji and Osamu will take things from here."  
Naruto caught eye contact with Gaara and smiled.  
"Thank you."  
Without say anything else Gaara nodded and left without looking back.  
"Okay, we'll leave now. We don't have any more time to spare."  
Osamu explained. Yuji stuck close to him, whispering directions to Osamu every now and again, but otherwise staying silent. Naruto and Sai walked together while Sakura and Kakashi lingered behind slightly. The group was silent until Sai leant in to speak to Naruto.  
"You know what this means Naruto."  
Naruto turned to face Sai who had kept silent for most of the mission until this point.  
"No, what?"  
Sai gave him a warm smile and Naruto felt a sudden cool shiver down his back.  
"This will be my last mission with you and squad 7."  
Sais smile did not fade, but now instead held a different meaning. One Naruto couldn't quite place. Sais words and the sad smile he wore chilled him.  
"Wha-What do you mean? Why?"  
He had grown to like Sai. Sai was one of them. At first he was nothing but a replacement, and all Naruto had wanted was Sasuke back and Sai gone, but now, he still wanted Sasuke back but couldn't imagine squad 7 without Sai. Sai was his friend.  
"Well, with Sasuke back, you won't need me. I'm meant to help you find him and now that I have I'm not needed in this squad any more."  
Naruto hadn't thought of it like that at all. He had believed Sai would always be there.  
"But what if we don't find him? You can't say that yet?"  
There was desperation and in his voice. He had grabbed Sais hand and was now squeezing it. Not wanting to let go just yet. Sai squeezed back and didn't let go either. He looked away and chuckled slightly.  
"Naruto, you haven't given up now have you?"  
He wasn't sure. This sudden realization didn't help him in any way. Now it seemed he had to chose between Sai and Sasuke. He was also reminded of Kiba, and how torn Sasuke had made him feel about his lover too. It suddenly seemed as though if he did find Sasuke he would have to give up a lot of things. He couldn't have it all. As he pondered this, his body seemed to already have chosen because he continued onwards with his head hung lowly and his hand in Sais. He displayed no signs of turning back despite the internal battle that was going on inside his head.  
"No. Never."  
But his voice held much uncertainty.

Sasuke was surprised when he woke up. Because one, he woke up and two he was outside. He had gathered this even before his blurred vision adjusted to the light. He could hear and feel rain. He tried to sit up but was too weak. When he finally could see, he noticed they were no longer in the village; they were underneath a lone tree surrounded by large rocks. The sky was completely black now, and just as was predicted a large storm had come. The rain pelted on them hard and there was a harsh chill in the air that froze Sasuke who was clad in thin clothes that now stuck tightly to his thin, pale body. He knew she was still there. He figured after going through all that trouble, she was not going to leave him unconscious and defenceless in the middle of nowhere.  
"So what now, what happens now, Chizuru?"

**A/N Cliff hanger! Also, I have an even better direction for this story! Yeah I know, I keep saying that, but now I have decided what I want to do with it. I have a solid idea and I will do it! And I will do it in less then 7 chapters so expect quicker updates because I'm currently obsessed with 'Headlock.'**


	3. A little support

**Headlock.**

**A/n **  
_**Disclaimer**_**; I don't own the characters in this story, or technically the setting either. That belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. The story line though belongs to me, and is a part of my own imagination. I wrote 'headlock' and take ownership of it. Chapter three. I've decided this won't be an extremely long story since I've already worked out my conclusion. So I gave a slight hint in my last chapter about the story line and I wonder if anyone will pick up on it. I won't spoil anything, but things will be picking up from here. Enjoy (: **  
- Chantelle

Chapter three.

"Naruto slow down!"  
Sakuras shrill voice did not falter him. He continued to walk uncomfortably close behind Osamu and Yuji who insisted the group remain at a steady, slow pace. Much to Narutos dismay. It seemed like he was _this close _to finally finding Sasuke, and the others were holding him back.  
Trying to keep him from reaching Sasuke in time. It felt like what he wanted was only just out of his reach and something kept pulling him away. No he would not slow down. He wouldn't wait any longer. This was his last chance.  
"No, we need to move faster!"  
"Yuji needs to retrace his steps. Once we've found the spot and given you the information you need, then you can move as fast as you want. For now, give it a rest."  
Not even Osamus stern expression could convince Naruto that they needed to take their time.  
"Retrace what steps? There's just sand! Endless sand!"  
His arms flew up in overstated exasperation.  
"Can't you just point us in the right direction? At least we'll get there faster!"  
When Osamu turned to Naruto he had a look of thin patience.  
"Trust me kid, I couldn't care less if you're a close ally of Lord Kazekage, if you keep this up we'll turn back and leave you here."  
"That won't be necessary. He'll calm down, it's just that this is important to him. You have our full respect Osamu, Yuji. If you continue as you are, I'll sort Naruto out."  
Kakashi had stepped in front of Naruto and was pushing him backwards, away from Osamu. He stared at Kakashi with hesitation before he nodded and told Yuji to continue. Sai and Sakura stepped passed Kakashi and Naruto and followed after them. Naruto tried to follow but Kakashi pushed him back again, stopping him from catching up with the others.  
"No more, or I'm calling the mission off. Yuji is currently our only lead, he has information that will take us to Sasuke. We can't afford any more outbursts."  
He said no more and walked ahead. Not giving Naruto the chance to retort back. Naruto didn't believe he would have had anything to say anyway. So he hung his head, furrowed his brows and drifted slowly they finally came to a stop, it was at the border of the desert.  
The sand had started to flatten and mingle with dirt and grass. Just ahead of them was a path leading to dark forestry that loomed above them. Intimidating them and luring them at the same time.  
"So this is where it happened?" Kakashi stood with a leisurely posture, not a flicker of concern to be seen as his gaze met the forest entrance. As Naruto peered inside he found himself understanding why the sand ninja did not pursue Sasuke. Naruto couldn't help but think of how the climate changed so abruptly from one extreme to the other.  
"Yeah." Yuji faced the opposite direction. A quick glance at his arm fastened in a neat sling made Kakashi wonder what exactly had happened when they collided with Sasuke and his newly formed squad.  
He had noticed the sling before of course. But now, looking at the young male, Kakashi could see he was just a frightened boy. Probably his first real mission from the looks of how shaken up he was. Though from what Kakashi had been told Yuji had the least injuries out of all of them, so whoever had broken his arm wasn't intent on hurting anyone. He found himself wishing it were Sasuke who had held back.  
Felt the burden of sympathy and chosen to simply scare him off rather than hurt him. Yuji had been the youngest on that mission, and he was also the one who sent for help. The other ninja were beaten bloody and unconscious. If Sasuke had assembled another squad, that made it all the more difficult to retrieve him. Then again, his recent slip up had lead them right to him. What was he playing at?  
"It was further in though. Just a little bit further up the path.. They turned back and went into the forest-"  
"We believe they had been staying at a hide out some miles from here. It's not easily found because it's way off track. You'll have to leave the path at some point and start heading east. They must not have felt safe, there's a village right by it. My bet was they had been sighted and were relocating but once they were caught turned back and decided to stay where they were till they could work it out." Osamu cut in while Yuji was talking. He talked a lot faster then Yuji, making it seem like he was trying to rush things.  
_'Finally.'  
_Naruto was pleased they were finally getting somewhere. Even if that somewhere happened to be hidden deep inside the dark, ominous forest.  
"Perfect. Is there anything else? Where should we turn off?"  
Kakashi had started walking towards the path, but Osamu cut him off.  
"No need for directions. I trust you have tracking abilities. Yuji?" Kakashi and turned to Yuji who walked towards him and held out a ripped piece of clothing. It was a thin, grey, piece of cotton that seemed to have suspicious deep blue spots splattered on it. He took it and looked at Yuji.  
"Is this Sasukes?" He received a nod and turned back to his squad who stood back some distance, not knowing what was going on. "We're off now, we have what we need." "Coming Kakashi-Sensei!" The three jogged to catch up. Kakashi turned to Yuji and Osamu.  
"Thank you for this, we'll have to repay the favour sometime." Osamu gave a brief smile and nod, but Yuji shook his head. A stern look crossed his face.  
"Not at all. You saved Lord Kazekage, I'm honoured to help."  
He turned to Naruto as he spoke. There were a few more exchanged glances, 'thank you's' and 'goodbyes' before they split up and went their separate ways. Osamu and Yuji left for the sand village, Team Kakashi ventured forwards into the forest.

Kakashi summoned Pakkun to lead the way. When Kakashi held out the piece of clothing for Pakkun to sniff the small dog immediately responded with unease. He said nothing though when Kakashi shook his head. Signalling for him to remain quiet.  
"When you're ready Pakkun." His voice was steady and in control, but Kakashi found himself feeling apprehensive.

"Now, we wait."  
Chizuru moved and Sasuke caught a glimpse of her, still posing as an elderly woman. He found his mouth was dry and his lips were chapped.  
"Wait for what?"  
His tongue escaped his mouth and flicked across his sore lips. The saliva stung and made his lips feel worse. His throat was still dry, but before he could swallow he started to cough. A ghastly taste was left in his mouth, and he desperately tried to spit. Much to his shame he spat on himself, unable to wipe it from his mouth. He heard a sigh and shortly after, Chizuru leant over and wiped his mouth clean with a handkerchief. He opened his mouth to ask again but she had decided to talk.  
"We wait for your village to collect you."  
His eyes widened slightly and he growled in frustration.  
"Kakashi sent you, didn't he? I was set up!"  
Chizurus form warped and a brief moment later she was back to her original self. The pale, delicate medic kunoichi who stuttered under pressure and whimpered whenever a voice was raised.  
"You always knew though. Didn't you Sasuke? You knew I was a fraud. All along."  
Her voice was soft, emotionless. She watched the darkening sky as it changed. The rain that fell hard had slowed to a gentle sprinkle on her face. The dark was slowly lifting. Sasuke said nothing. He too looked above him. Looked at something, beyond the dark clouds and rain. The rain that was once furious now wept pitifully and it saddened him.  
"But you were wrong Sasuke, Kakashi played no part in this."  
Sasuke barely blinked. She continued onward without any need for him to speak.  
"It was Sai, he ordered me to find, protect and capture you."  
Sasuke almost snorted with laughter at the irony of Chizuru claiming to be protecting and capturing him at the same time. But he knew why she needed him safe and alive. Naruto. He couldn't help but feel curious.  
"How do you know Sai? You're not from the leaf village."  
As far as he knew, she originated from the mist village. At that time, the mist village were on shaky terms with a lot of villages, due to war and paranoia. They kept too themselves and barely associated with neighbouring villages. He wondered how Sai had managed to pull such strings.  
"I'm not. Have you ever heard of 'ANBU Root?'"  
Sasuke nodded.  
"After I was orphaned during the war, my sister and I were driven from the mist village. There was still fear and hatred of shinobi who possessed kekkei genkai. We fled to the leaf village and begged for help. We were placed in the 'ANBU Root' and were trained and raised as secret military. Along side Sai. When he asked, I agreed to help him."  
As Sasuke listened, he felt his eye sight waver. He blinked, but his vision remained blurred. He was too tired to wipe his eyes so he allowed them to close.  
"Sasuke." He kept his eyes closed but decided to respond anyway.  
"Mm."  
He was shivering now. He was cold earlier but now he could feel goosebumps forming on his exposed skin.  
"If you knew. Why did you let me capture you? Why did you give up? I was expecting a challenge. You could have killed me, but you spared me. Did you want this to happen?"  
His body had started to separate from his mind. Going limp against his own will. He tried to fight to stay awake, but it was getting harder.  
"Because.. I don't care any more." His own voice was starting to sound distant.  
"I don't have anywhere else to run to."  
His last few words were barely audible, but Chizuru caught them. Sasuke fell asleep the instant he stopped talking. He had gotten, so weak. Over the past few months he knew he was becoming fragile. It wouldn't be long before his body gave up on him if he kept at it. The sleepless nights. Sometimes he went for two or so days with barely any food. He had no money left. Everything had caught up on him. He had no-where left to hide now, and no-one left to turn to. What was the point in running? He was running away from his only help. He was running to his death. He had decided not too long ago, that his only chance was to return to the leaf village and beg for forgiveness but he was far too stubborn and scared. It was not long after he had left Chizuru and tried to find the Akatsukis hideout that he had finally given in and accepted his fate. He would turn himself in he had concluded. As he slept, he dreamt of team 7, when it was the four of them together. He dreamt of his innocence. He dreamt of Naruto.

Naruto couldn't help but notice something was different with Sai.  
In the way that he stayed behind and avoided eye contact and conversation. Naruto wanted to slow down and talk to him but he was too focused on the mission. He was ahead of everyone, almost right beside Pakkun who would occasionally update them, "we're getting closer," "his scent is getting stronger." and encourage them to keep going.  
Kakashi hadn't spoken much since they left behind Osamu and Yuji, and it unnerved Sakura who kept trying to lighten the mood. She gave up though, soon entirely absorbed in her thoughts of Sasuke. She wondered how much he'd changed. It had been months since they last found a lead, and even then they didn't get any where near Sasuke who was long gone by the time they reached the village he'd been sighted in. The searched, but there was nothing there to lead them to him. Which made Sakura curious. How come he slipped up? Was he tricking them?

"Here."  
They had turned off a while back and no longer followed the path. They had for quite some time been following his scent. Which had been a risky idea, he could have easily had some one else wear his clothes to throw them off. It wasn't a trick though because they came across a hidden clearing, and there stood what looked like it used to be a small house. It had been burned down from what they could see. As they moved closer they found there was barely anything left of it. Naruto felt his stomach tighten into a painful knot. "Do you think-"  
"No."  
All heads turned to Sai. He had been completely silent up until this point. Sakura and Naruto both looked shocked and relieved at the same time.  
"How do you know?" She asked. She didn't mean to sound so accusing; she just wanted to be sure Sai _knew _that Sasuke was still alive.  
"I know where he is. I'll take you there."  
Naruto felt a surge of anger run through him. If he knew, why did he let them waste all this time?  
"Why didn't you tell us this before then?" He grabbed the front of Sais shirt and shook him slightly. Sakura put hand on his shoulder and told him to let go. Naruto did but his anger didn't fade. He gave Sai a chance to explain.  
"He was supposed to be here. I sent someone to keep an eye on him. Capture him if need be. He was supposed to be here. If not, I knew where they were waiting. Trust me."  
Narutos stern glare wavered. Of course he trusted Sai. He took a step back and looked down.  
Hesitating briefly before turning back to Sai and apologizing. He wasn't himself. He was so worked up. So angry. The tension was getting to him, and he knew he had to control it. His apology was accepted with a small smile.  
"Pakkun you can go. Sai, we'll follow you now."  
Pakkun disappeared and Sai started walking towards where he wanted to go. When the others were following he picked up a fast pace and headed off.

"Kiba, there you are." He recognized the owner of the voice without having to turn and look. He paused and gave Shino time to catch up.  
"We haven't seen much of you. Hinata has started to worry."  
The two walked lazily side by side. Kiba let Akamaru run ahead.  
"I'm fine." His voice was far from convincing. He could feel Shinos questioning gaze focus on him, but he kept his eyes elsewhere. Shino said nothing. It was silent for quite some time before he talked again.  
"It's Naruto isn't it."  
Kiba didn't say anything. He often consulted Shino. He always had an answer for everything it seemed. Shino let a soft sigh escape his lips and put an arm around Kiba. Turning him towards a small food stall. Kiba didn't protest.  
"You look ill. We should get some food in you."  
The two talked for some time, in between bites of rice ball and sips of green tea. Shino was helpful, but in the way that everything he said Kiba knew was true and he should be listening because that's exactly what he should do, but refused to listen and accept Shinos advice. Shino was getting frustrated. He was wasting his time trying cheer Kiba up.  
"Kiba, if you're not going to listen, then I'm not going to talk. I'm trying to help you. Stop being stubborn."  
He was getting fed up with his friend. It was always like this. Kiba would come to him, complain and then get angry at whatever Shino said.  
"Naruto isn't good for you. Face it."  
He finished off his drink.  
"He is, he's just.. Confused." Kiba doubted himself. He stared at the half eaten rice ball in front of him. He had no appetite.  
"You're the one who's confused Kiba. Naruto won't move on. He doesn't want to. This isn't going to stop. If he brings home Sasuke, he's going to leave you. If he doesn't, it'll drive him insane. Let it go."  
Kiba didn't want him to be right. He didn't want to believe him. But he did. Shino stood up, paid, and left. Kiba didn't move for quite sometime. He was still staring at the rice ball he was neglecting. He felt Akamarus wet tongue brush against the back of his hand in a sympathetic gesture but did not move. Akamaru whined, trying to earn Kibas attention.  
_'I don't know if I love you that much any more Naruto.'  
_He stood up and left. Akamaru was by his side. They started to head back home. Kiba decided then and there that it would be the last time he returned to their shared apartment.

"Sai, where did you promise to meet them?"  
"The Ravine of Wind. It's bordering Wind and the land of Rivers."  
"How long will it take us to get there?"  
Naruto beat Sakura to the question. Sai hesitated before answering. He wasn't entirely sure, but he had a rough idea.  
"One day, if we keep going without stoping."  
They all knew they should, but the look on Narutos face stopped Kakashi from saying they would have to.  
"We plan to keep-"  
Sakura had started to say but was cut off.  
"No. We have to rest. If something goes wrong, we need to have all our energy."  
"Naruto?"  
Sakura was looking at him with complete shock. He was right of course, but this wasn't the attitude he usually sported. Truth was, he being cautious.  
In all of his other missions, he'd run in head first.  
Putting finding Sasuke above their own wellbeing. This time, he would do things correctly. They would rest and regain their strength. Besides, he'd hardly eaten and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to down some food.  
"Trust me Sakura. We can rest once it starts to get dark."  
The sky was starting to darken and warp into a brilliant mix of oranges and purples. Warning them they had at least two hours of light left before nightfall. It wasn't much time, but Naruto wanted to rest early, so it took them less time to recover. He searched his squad members for any signs of disagreement, all three nodded and they continued forth without much else being said.

He had at first thought he would have a lot more to take with him then he actually did. He stuffed some clothes in one bag, and in another he had grabbed whatever belongings he could fit into his backpack. The apartment was still in a state.  
He hadn't attempted to clean up the mess he'd made earlier, it didn't matter. As he looked around he noticed how empty the place really was without his possessions to mingle with Narutos and fill in the spaces. He had gathered his stuff quite quickly but wasn't ready to walk out just yet. He walked through every room.  
Just looking and reminiscing. At some point he'd sat on the end of the bed and hoped that maybe Naruto might walk in and try and stop him. He told himself he was being stupid, he _had_ to leave. As hard as it was, it would be easier for them both if he left. But a selfish part of him glued him to the bed. Refusing to let him leave just yet. Every time he went to leave he would stop himself and say  
'no, it's still possible. Any moment now he'll come home and see me, beg me to stay because we were made for each other.'  
It seemed though he was just dragging out time. Wasting it so that he didn't have to leave. Didn't have to move on. The longer he waited, the more likely it was that Naruto would stop him. But he knew he was just holding on to nothing. Him and Naruto weren't made for each other. He wasn't going to come home and change Kibas mind. No he wasn't. And if he decided to stay and hold on, he'd just be forcing it. There would never be any love behind their masked relationship. No, there was a reason he was leaving; it was to start over again.  
To end things so the two of them could move on. And even if Naruto couldn't, he needed to.  
He couldn't let this hold him down any more.  
With that, Kiba stood and picked up his bags not looking behind him, not leaving behind a word of goodbye. Just leaving. Not letting any more distractions get in the way of his departure. This was best for every one. When he walked outside he found Akamaru asleep by the door. The sky was already pitch black.  
"Come on boy, we're leaving now."  
As the two left and headed for Hinata's, Kiba couldn't help but feel a sense of conquest underneath his sadness. He would miss Naruto, but he would no longer be a chained up, miserable person.  
He was free.

Naruto tore his gaze away from the lure of the flickering flames for long enough to spot Sai staring intently at him. Any emotion he may have had was masked and undetectable, and Naruto adverted his gaze back downwards coyly.  
"What?" He looked again, but Sai remained focused on him. He frowned slightly, not liking the sudden attention Sai was giving him. The two were on guard while Kakashi and Sakura slept. Sai had offered to stay awake for them, and Naruto just couldn't sleep. He couldn't get comfortable, knowing that once they were rested they would be on their way to meet Sasuke again. After all that time, it petrified him. He wasn't sure if he wanted to see Sasuke. He still loved him, yes. But he doubted Sasuke still felt the same about him. Especially after their last encounter. He told himself that Sasuke was just pretending to push him away and that once Sasuke realised how stupid he was being, he would come home to him. But now, he wasn't sure what he wanted to happen. He wasn't sure if he wanted to face Sasuke again after seeing how cold and emotionless he was. "You don't want to find him do you?"  
It was more of a statement then a question. Sai already knew the answer.  
Naruto could tell there was no point lying, and turned away. Not wanting to look Sai in the eyes any more. His eyes were charcoal, just like Sasukes.  
"I want to. I'm just scared."  
Although Sai could never honestly say he understood, or knew how he felt, Naruto found Sai was the one person he could turn to. His honesty was often a fresh comfort. Sai never hesitated to ask, and he never hesitated to answer truthfully.  
"Why? Isn't this what you wanted?" It was.  
"I don't want it any more. I-" He hesitated, trying to think of exactly what had messed with his emotions.  
"I've ruined everything."  
He kept his eyes fixed on his hands, which he fidgeted with on his lap, trying desperately to suppress the tears that threatened to form.  
He could barely hide it from his voice though, and Sai caught onto this.  
"_You _haven't. _He _has."  
He wanted to argue, defend that Sasuke was innocent and had just gone down the wrong path. That _he_ was the reason why his friends had grown tired of watching him live in a state of self-loathing despair, ignorant to their pleas to let it go. Why his boy friend was slowly reaching breaking point, sick of trying to earn his attention when all he did was mourn Sasukes absence. And he was the reason why Sai was leaving.  
If he hadn't pushed so hard to bring Sasuke back, his friends wouldn't avoid him. Kiba would be happy. Sai would stay with him. He couldn't bring himself to argue this though, because as much as he believed it all to be true, _Sasuke _left _him_.  
He abandoned him.  
Although he wanted him back, he couldn't help but loathe him.  
It was all beginning to dawn on him now, exactly how much damage would be done if he brought back Sasuke.  
"I don't know wh-what to do."  
Once the words were out in the open he broke down. He had admitted his helplessness and his need for comfort. Sai stood and moved over to Naruto. Instead of sitting he held out his hand. Naruto stalled before taking it. When he did, Sai lifted him to his feet and lead him away from the camp fire.

They walked in silence for a short while till the air grew cold, dark and silent and they were alone.  
"Wha-" He went to ask.  
His sobbing had stopped, but the tears continued to stain his cheeks and sting his eyes.  
He was cut off by Sai who brought his hand up to wipe Narutos cheek.  
"It will be okay."  
Until this point Naruto had managed to momentarily calm himself down but now he let himself cry. He was pulled into an embrace and his sobs were stifled by Sais shoulder.  
Instinctively, Sai rubbed his back and ran his hand through Narutos hair in a soothing manner. He slowly lowered them to the ground and shifted so they were both comfortable. It didn't take as long for Naruto to calm down as Sai thought it would, but he eventually did. His sobs had died down to a pathetic weep when he finally pulled back to wipe his eyes.  
He gave a feeble smile, a false gesture of contentment. Sai was not fully convinced, but gave a genuine smile in return.  
"Better?" Naruto sighed.  
"No."  
He lay his head on Sais shoulder until his sobbing ceased completely. Just thankful that Sai had given him comfort instead of words.  
His problems were still there, but he felt a sense of serenity when he was close to his friend.  
He looked up at the sky and admired how deep and calm and never ending it was. It was such a dark starless night and he envied it's nothingness. He was the first to break the peaceful silence, afraid that Sai may have fallen asleep.  
"Sai?"  
When Sai said nothing and remained unmoving he thought maybe he had drifted off.  
"Naruto?"  
His voice was still wide awake though, and Naruto realized he was probably just lost in thought.  
"Are _you_ worried?"  
It was a silly question. Sai had nothing to worry about. He would be sent off to help out another squad and continue on with his life without even questioning it. He probably didn't even care. He still had to ask though. He wanted to hear that Sai would miss him.  
"I am. I've been thinking about it for a while. But it's the right thing to do."  
"If you didn't want to leave then why did you help me?"  
He had shifted and sat up so his eyes were locked with Sais, searching for a flicker of emotion.  
"Because I want to make you happy. I don't want you to be upset any more. You smile and laugh as if you aren't, but I can see it. I've always seen it. You're suffering. If bringing Sasuke back to you will make you happy then I will do it."  
He smiled but Naruto didn't. It only hurt him more.  
"I don't want you to go. I want you to stay with me."  
He spoke so softly he could barely hear himself and was surprised when Sai did.  
"I don't want to leave either."  
Naruto stood up suddenly feeling angry with Sai.  
"Then don't! Don't desert me! Just.."  
He trailed off. Sai had also by now stood, and had moved closer to Naruto.  
"You can't have it both ways Naruto. You can't have me _and _Sasuke."  
_'Or Kiba.'  
_He knew this.  
More then anything. If he chose Sasuke he lost everyone.  
"Can we stay here for a little while longer?"  
It was strange, this entire mission he'd been with Sai, but with other people around it felt like Sai hadn't been around at all.

As they drew nearer to Sasuke, Naruto wanted nothing more then to freeze time and leave everything to be alone with Sai. He wanted to make the most of his company while he still had nodded but took a step back.  
Suddenly unsure of the situation.  
"If you want."  
Naruto nodded and stepped closer. He was tired and had to fight to stay awake, but he couldn't miss a moment. This was all they had left. If they returned to the village with Sasuke, Sai would leave. A part of him still refused to believe this but it seemed with every moment that passed the idea of Sai leaving him became valid.  
"I don't want to go back just yet."  
He grabbed Sais hand and held it in his, running his thumb over Sais knuckles. Sai responded by moving closer and raising his hand to cup Narutos cheek.  
Naruto shut his eyes and in a few seconds he could feel lips press gently against his. Goosebumps formed on his skin when Sai pulled back and trailed feather light kisses along his jaw.  
His warm breath caused Naruto to shiver when it touched his skin. When he started to move away Naruto moved forwards and pushed their lips together again. Not yet ready to stop. He kept the kiss slow and gentle while his hands ghosted along Sais jaw line.  
Sai mimicked him but tangled his hands in Narutos hair and as the kiss deepened so did his grip slightly. When they finally pulled apart they didn't move straight away. Both of them were too shocked with themselves to speak. But before Naruto could start to walk away, Sai leant in once more and kissed him.  
This time when Sai pulled back, there was a smile on his lips and a blush on Narutos cheeks. He waited till Naruto smiled back, a genuine and warm smile, before he took his hand and led him back to their small camp where their team mates still slept.

**A/N For those of you who actually care, I would like to set a deadline. I have one week to get this next chapter up so keep your eyes peeled. Tell me what you thought of this chapter and what you think of Narutos choices, the feed back does help you for reading, hope you enjoyed, review and I'll be working hard on chapter four for you (:  
- **Chantelle


	4. Don't panic

**Headlock.**

**A/N This is it! The final chapter :D Hope you enjoy (:**

- Chantelle

Chapter four.

Naruto awoke with his head resting on Sai's lap. The sun wasn't yet up but the sky had lightened considerably, warning Naruto that it was close to morning. He sat up abruptly, realizing where he was and who he was with. Sai.  
'_Kiba_..'  
When he searched his team mate's face he found the other male was fast asleep. He quickly moved away from Sai and sat on his own, making sure he didn't stir his resting teammates from their slumber. He had forgotten his partner when he was so lost in the moment and now with the realization of what he had done, he was plagued with a sense of guilt that seemed to be eating away at him. He had cheated on Kiba. For once all his guilt centered around his lover and Sasuke never seemed to cross his mind.

He hadn't slept a wink by the time the others woke up as well, he hadn't even tried because he didn't think he could. Sakura was the first to emit a soft yawn and stretch. Her pink hair stuck in awkward directions and looked rather comical.  
"Morning Sakura, sleep well?"  
"Mmm."  
Came her sleepy reply. Her eyes were still half closed and she looked like she was ready to pass out again. Kakashi stirred beside her and was next to sit up, only he looked more awake.  
"Are you two ready? We'll wake Sai and be on our way, there's no time left to lose. We've wasted enough already." Before either of them could reply Kakashi was already waking up Sai and getting everything underway. Sakura quickly rolled up her sleeping bag and Naruto gathered his things. He kept his back turned to Sai all the while, too scared to face him.  
Sai stood and walked off. "I'll be back." He told the squad, and no-one said anything. When he was out of sight, Sakura turned to Naruto and watched him slowly packing. He wasn't in any rush and it almost unnerved her to see him so halfhearted about something he'd worked so hard for. He still wanted to find Sasuke right? After fighting so hard for this mission, he hadn't given up had he? Sakura closed her eyes and sighed before making her way over to him.  
"Naruto, are you okay? You've hardly packed anything! you still want to find him right?"  
There was a hesitation before he said "of course" that threw Sakura off. She nodded any way though and returned to packing her own things, while Kakashi finished packing for both himself and Sai. Not wanted to arouse any more suspicion, Naruto stuffed the rest of his things in his bag and swung it around his shoulder.  
"Alright! Let's go!" He said, making a show of being ready before the others in an attempt to seem normal, Sai emerged in time to hear.  
"Well, we better get a move on then, so you can bring Sasuke back quickly." Naruto turned in time to see a bitter grimace cross Sai's lips, he smiled in return and nodded, a gesture that the others didn't realize was snide and spiteful. He didn't want to be around Sai anymore, he wanted him to leave but Sai was the key to finding Sasuke, and Sasuke was the key to getting rid of Sai. As well as that, Sasuke would drive away Kiba, and Sai would be a constant reminder of what he'd just done. Either way, no matter what he did now, it would be the wrong decision.  
Sai seemed to ignore the look he was given and began to lead the small group.

Dark orbs slowly opened before shutting again. Drifting in and out of consciousness, Sasuke was barely able to keep himself awake. Chizuru tended to him in silence. He still shivered, which was a good thing. He still had feeling in his body. When he tried to part his lips to speak they refused to cooperate and remained shut. It wouldn't be long until Naruto arrived. He half wished he would get to him even sooner.  
"Sleep. There's not much point wasting your strength, you'll need it when they arrive."  
Sasuke finally gave in and let his eyes slip shut and succumbed to sleep.

"There's a lot of thick forestry up here, but it's just beyond that. It'll be a bit tough to get through but if we cut through that will save us half a day depending on how fast we can get through."  
Naruto stood beside Sai, despite the hidden animosity he felt, and tried to rush things along.  
"There aren't snakes in there right? And spiders? We won't see any will we?" Sakura found herself being the only one who didn't so much agree with Sai's short cut. The more she looked the more terrified she became. He wasn't serious right?  
"Probably." Was his short reply before the group ventured onward. No-one else said anything and Sakura was forced to follow behind with much distain.

The air was heavy and it was near impossible to see. The trees loomed over head and blocked out the sun and the bush was so thick and close together that it made moving hard. Pakkun raced ahead and cleared a small path for them, but it barely made things easier for them. Naruto found himself at the back, and bore the brunt of tree branches that were pulled back and flicked him in the face. Sakura didn't seem to notice his agony, her only concern was avoiding anything creepy like spiders. She ignored Naruto as he yelped in pain and continued to yell for her to 'watch it' but she wasn't listening. Somewhere up a head Kakashi chuckled while Sai simply focused on the task at hand. Finally realizing how absent minded she was, Naruto stood still and waited until Sakura was a considerable few feet ahead of him before he trudge along, not wanting to catch up in fear of another branch to his face.  
"Naruto! Don't wander too far, if you lose us you won't catch up."  
Kakashi called back to him. Naruto still had sight of Sakura and felt fairly confident he couldn't get left behind, that was until he actually did. When she at first disappeared he didn't think anything of it. She wasn't that far ahead and all he had to do was catch up a little and he'd see her again. Moving a little quicker he headed in the direction he thought he'd seen her head in, to his surprise though he still couldn't see her or any of the others for that matter. Naruto started to panic slightly and tried to break into a jog, but the trees were too thick and there were too many obstacles for him to really move any faster than he already was.  
"Sakura! Sakura wait!"  
He tried calling but she didn't respond, she probably couldn't even hear him. He couldn't understand how he'd managed to get himself so lost. He continued heading forward, not having a clue where he was going, and simply hoped for the best.  
"Sakura!" He continued to call out but received no reply. With the sudden realization that he wouldn't be able to find them, he started to panic and ran blindly forward with his arms in front of his face as a shield. With no vision, it wasn't any wonder that his foot caught on a tree root and he tripped clumsily face first, out of the thickness of the forest and into a clearing. He looked up to see Sakura and the rest of his squad looking down at him.  
"You idiot."  
Without giving him time to stand the group continued and Naruto rushed to his feet and caught up with them. He was not going to let himself get lost again.

Within a couple of hours the group finally made it out of the forestry and reached a path along a cliff edge. Their view of up ahead was blocked and Sai stopped the small group momentarily to warn them that just up ahead was the Uchiha himself.  
"Sasuke could very well be just up ahead. I want to make sure you are prepared to face him."  
According to the reports he had received, Sasuke looked like a right state and he didn't want Naruto to panic at the sight of the weakened raven. Sakura nodded and stepped forward, as did Kakashi. Naruto however froze in place.  
'_He's there; he's just up ahead… What happens now? Will he run? Will he try to kill us? If he doesn't… What will happen then?_'  
Sai could sense his unease, as did the other two.  
"Naruto, it'll be okay. We should go to him quickly." Kakashi told him. He understood how nervous Naruto was, because he'd never been more scared himself. He was scared about what they might find, what had happened to Sasuke? Something wasn't right, it was all too easy. He pushed the group forward regardless of his growing fears and remained on edge. As they walked they walked in silence. Each of them lost in an internal battle, they all wanted to turn and run, but they all knew it was far too late for that. Somewhere in the distance the clouds darkened and thunder rumbled, warning them of a storm that threatened to hit. After the brief clear weather the rain fell yet again in heavy droplets that stung exposed flesh and soaked their dirt stained clothes. As squad seven rounded the final corner Naruto felt his heart burst through his chest. Any second now he would be face to face with an unrecognizable Sasuke.  
'_Sasuke…_'  
He found he'd been holding his breath, seemingly scared that if he let it go Sasuke would be gone again when he finally got there. A single tree came into view and Sai nodded, this was it. Kakashi strained his visible eye to spot two figures, one lying beneath the tree and one hunched over the body.  
"That's him."  
Sakura whispered. She spoke to herself more than anyone else.  
"That's Sasuke."  
After all these years, she'd never forgotten his face. She could sense his chakra too, but it was weak, far weaker than it had ever been. She looked at Kakashi who glanced back at her with an unreadable expression. He was ill, she could tell and so could Kakashi. Sai must have known, but could Naruto see this? She turned to him and saw tears had started to form in his eyes. He quickly wiped them away and tried to hold back the growing pain in his chest with a brave face.

Chizuru spotted them approaching rather slowly. She stood up and went to greet Sai who walked ahead of them.  
"He's here, as promised."  
Sai nodded and stayed in place. He had no need to approach the unconscious body and watched as the rest of the team did. Up close he looked thin and fragile. At any moment it seemed he would simply stop breathing, his chest was barely rising as it was and he took in short gasps of air every so often. He hadn't been eating properly and Sakura could see his ribs clearly through the thin material that stuck tightly to his body.  
"He's so pale…"  
She spoke quietly, but loud enough to break the silence that had blanketed them. They ignored the pelting rain that tried to disrupt the moment, and stared intently at their comrade.  
"He's sick; he has been for some time."  
Kakashi confirmed their fears.  
"He's been poisoned."  
He had spotted it earlier; on the material they were given, it had stained his clothing.  
"Who did it?"  
Naruto asked Chizuru. She must have known, she had been with him this whole time.  
"It happened when we fought the sand ninja, he'd been wounded. It wasn't until later that we learnt the kunai had been dipped in poison. Sasuke knew."

'_Is that why you didn't try harder to get away? Sasuke? You knew you wouldn't last much longer so you let us come to you._'

Naruto could help but find irony in this. They finally found Sasuke. He made no attempt to run or hide in their final efforts to bring him back, because he was going to die. It was their last mission, their last chance to save him and here he was, pathetic and on his death bed.  
"Sasuke, we made it. But we're too late aren't we?"  
He earned himself a mumbled response and a cough. Sakura expected to catch Naruto crying, but she didn't. His voice was shaking but his eyes were dry and cold. A harsh wind brushed against his wet skin and made him shiver. He glanced around him before moving forward to sit beside Sasuke who had slowly woken and was blinking to get his eye sight back.  
"Naruto."  
Sakura closed her eyes. His voice was so shaky and weak, he sounded foreign. This was not her comrade, this was someone else. No way was Sasuke lying before them, he would have put up a fight, not just accepted this.  
"Sasuke, this isn't a genjutsu is it? You're really here? We really found you?"  
She asked. She kept her eyes shut tight knowing that he was looking at her. She refused to see him in this light. He coughed slightly and nodded.  
"It's me. Naruto, you're finally here… I've been waiting for you. You took your time."  
This time when he coughed a small amount of blood came up and splattered his face. Naruto remained emotionless. Any feelings he may have had were gone, or at least untraceable.  
"To think, you, Sasuke Uchiha have reduced yourself to nothing. You look pathetic."  
He spat. Like a game of poker the two of them exchanged blank looks that held nothing. There was nothing to be read in their eyes despite the bitter pain that stung them deep inside. A small chuckle emitted from Sasuke but his amusement wasn't genuine.  
"You haven't changed at all… Looking at you now, I still see the young idiot I once knew."  
Hidden in his words were the memories and feelings he never could let go of. Of all the things that separated them and changed him into the bitter, resentful man he had become, none of it changed how he always felt about the blonde. He always loved Naruto and never did manage to severe their ties. Their love brought them both nothing but hurt and anger, more so than his choices did.

"Do you regret your life? Do you hate yourself?"  
"Naruto, that's enough..."  
Kakashi tried to cut him off but Naruto had already decided that he would not hold back on Sasuke. He would not humor the man who'd caused so much grief to everyone. He was like an infection that had spread, everyone had caught it. He had consequences to deal with, he didn't care if Sasuke was preparing for death, he chose to run and he chose to cut loose everyone who cared about him. He deserved to be treated in a harsh manner.  
"No Sensei, I have to know. Was your life worth it Sasuke? Worth all the hurt you put yourself and others through? You always wanted kids, and I couldn't give you that, but here you are, still without kids. You could have been happy, but this is what you chose."  
Naruto waited for a response, finding he was working himself up too much so he paused and waited for Sasuke to answer him, but the raven remained silent.  
"Well Sasuke! Are you happy now?"  
He had pushed the limits of everyone's patience and ultimately his own life. He tried to sit up but could only manage a slight movement so instead he turned his head to face Naruto.  
"No. I'm not happy. I never was and never would have been. I may have chosen the wrong path but if I had stayed in the village with you, I would have resented everyone. Myself, you, and everyone around us. Surely you can see that? I was fated to always be unhappy, from the very beginning."  
Naruto lifted his head and allowed the rain to cleanse his face. To him, Sasuke had always been selfish for leaving; he'd been cold and self centered, but now… Was it him all along? Was he the one in the wrong? If he had forced Sasuke to stay, the outcome could have been worse. They would have been unhappy together and he'd never been able to see that. He was so focused on how happy he and Sasuke could have been together that he didn't realize they wouldn't have been. He had been so blinded by what he once had, that he couldn't even see what was in front of him, and what he had gained from his loss, Kiba.

'_Naruto._'  
When Sakura opened her eyes she could see something else in the two male's eyes. She could see how hurt Sasuke really was. Now it was too late to fix anything or change the past and it seemed he had always known this.  
"Is that why you refused to come back? Because you knew, how unhappy you would make him?"  
Sasuke closed his eyes, a simple gesture that said more than he needed to. Was that really the reason? She had always thought it was his pride and self hatred that kept him from returning but now she could see it wasn't, it was his feelings for Naruto that kept him at bay. He had heard about Naruto's relationship with Kiba and chosen to let the two be in the hopes that Naruto could finally move on and be happy. But Naruto couldn't. At least not before.  
"So that's why you… Why you wouldn't come back."  
Before Sasuke could answer he feel into a coughing fit, this time it was blood instead of the dark poison that ran through his veins. Flinching, Sakura realized he only had a short time left. In fact, he should have already been dead. The group surrounded him and watched as he coughed and carried on. Naruto was the only one to speak out.

"Are we just going to stand there and watch? Sakura! Do something, help him!"  
She shook her head and everyone remained silent as they watched. There was nothing she could do, not a thing now.  
"It's too late, Naruto…"  
Kakashi placed a warm hand on his shoulder but Naruto shrugged it off and stared at his dying former lover. This was it, Sasuke didn't have the strength left to speak and he was on his last breath. After today, the once proud and strong Uchiha clan would become extinct.  
"I never thought in a million years I'd live to see this day. I always expected more of you Sasuke."  
Being his former tutor, Kakashi felt a stab of pain as he watched his pupil close his eyes for the last time. The rain had slowed to thin droplets that fell barely noticed. After a short moment Sai stepped forward between Kakashi and Sakura.  
"I'm sorry."  
His words seemed to trigger something in Naruto that forced him to collapse to his knees and Naruto finally let himself cry. As Sakura watched her team fall apart, she felt a stabbing pain burning in her chest and she too started to cry.  
"Sasuke!"  
Naruto collapsed onto him and wailed into his chest but the raven was still and silent. Too scared to move, the others stood and watched with heavy hearts.  
"Naruto, please. He's gone."  
"Naruto stop!"  
Too grief stricken to hear, Naruto continued to plead for the life of his comrade and Kakashi had to step in. He tried to touch him, but Naruto pushed him away and held on more forcefully.  
"Stop sensei! No! Don't take him from me!"  
Sakura turned her back on the scene and welcomed Sai's comforting arm around her shoulder. When he was sure Sakura couldn't see, Kakashi in one swift motion knocked Naruto out with a strike to his neck and threw him over his shoulder.  
"What should we do with his body?"  
"We'll leave him here, there's no sense in carrying the extra weight with us, it's too far to travel. We'll leave, but not before we've said goodbye."

They had decided that under the tree would be the best place for his grave. It didn't take for Kakashi and Sai to finish digging it, the rain had softened the soil and the two worked quickly to get it over and done with so they could be on their way while the other three had taken shelter a few feet away. Sakura watched as the two men lowered Sasuke's body into the hole and started to cover it up. Her breath hitched and after having settled herself down she started to cry again.

_Gentle kisses were placed on soft exposed skin and he could feel the hairs on his neck stand up with each and every slight touch. He felt his heart race considerably as the other males fingers brushed over already formed goose bumps. When moistened lips pulled away, it was so dark eyes could meet the gaze of half opened blue orbs. He gently smiled and his lover smiled back in return.  
"I've missed you, I knew you'd come back though. I always knew that soon you'd be with me again."  
The fingers that explored his body now brushed delicate locks of blonde hair back off the boys face and their lips pressed together in a bitter sweet kiss that Naruto hoped would last forever. He closed his eyes to appreciate the moment he'd been longing for, and when they re-opened his vision was blurred by the tears that had formed. Concerned, the dark haired male wiped the spilling tears off his cheeks and kissed his forehead.  
"Naruto, don't cry. It's over now, we're together again."  
He couldn't understand why he was still unhappy. The truth was, Naruto wasn't unhappy; he was relieved to be reunited with the love he'd lost so long ago.  
"I know, which is why it hurts. To think I'd let us fall apart in the first place, I couldn't see what was right in front of me all along, Kiba."  
He pushed himself up slightly to catch Kiba's lips with his own but only found air. It had suddenly become cold and when he opened his eyes he found he was no longer in the comfort of their shared bed, he was in a cemetery, standing over a recently dug grave that awaited filling.  
"Kiba?"  
There was no reply. Looking down, he tried to make out the initials on the gravestone.  
__**Sasuke Uchiha.**__  
Shocked, Naruto turned on his heels with the intention to flee but somebody blocked his path. It was Sasuke, a pale, sickly version of the Uchiha.  
"You're not here, you're dead."  
He tried to sound strong but his voice was shaky and the fear that coursed through his veins was evident. Sasuke did not reply. Instead he stared blankly at Naruto through glass eyes. Before he could run a voice called and kept him in place.  
"Sakura? Was that you?"  
The Sasuke before him vanished, and Naruto searched the graveyard for his friend, but she was nowhere in sight. As her voice grew louder the graveyard appeared to vanish slowly and warp into reality, the last thing he saw was a crow perched in a tree. It opened its beak but no noise escaped. All he could hear was Sakura's voice and his own responding to her._

"Mmm… Sa..Kura?" _  
_He opened his eyes finally and waited for them to adjust to the light.  
"Naruto, we're saying our goodbyes and then we're leaving, I thought you'd want to be the first to say something to Sasuke."  
She kept her voice soft and spoke gently. She wasn't sure how he'd react, if he'd be mad or upset. Surprisingly, he simply nodded, stood up and made his way over to the freshly dug grave.  
"Kakashi, Sai. I want to be alone for a moment, do you mind?"  
"Not at all."  
With a brief nod the two took their leave and let him be. When he was sure he was relatively alone, Naruto looked down at the unsettled dirt and let out a low sigh.  
"Sasuke. I don't actually know what's left to say. At least now I know the truth."  
He had planned to keep his words brief but felt that maybe it was too short. Sasuke had been so important to him for so long, and yet all the words he'd wanted to say slipped from his tongue, all that was left to say was a final goodbye.  
"Well old friend, it looks like this is it. Thank you, Sasuke."  
The words came out easily and Naruto felt a heavy weight lift from his shoulders.  
'_Goodbye Sasuke, I'll always miss you, but I have to move on. You always knew that, didn't you?_'  
With that he turned his back and retreated to his teammates all gave him feeble half smiles.

"So, have you heard yet?"  
"Heard what?"  
"Naruto's back."  
Kiba looked down at his food and fiddled with his chopsticks but didn't say anything. His heart raced immediately but he kept his poker face. Shikamaru took it as incentive to continue.  
"They didn't bring Sasuke back."  
He watched as Kiba's blank face contorted into a look of confusion. He hid it well but a large part of Kiba was glad, but at the same time he found he was angry, sure Sasuke was out of the picture but he could only imagine how much more Naruto would be obsessed with him. He probably wouldn't even notice the absence of his lover now.  
'_Former lover._'  
He silently scolded himself. He had to remember it was over between the two of them. He'd made the decision to move on for the both of them.  
"What happened? Was there a fight?"  
He wanted to ask if Naruto was okay, but he didn't want to give away too much. Shikamaru shrugged.  
"No, apparently he died when they got there."  
"What! He's dead!"

Expecting to be greeted by his lover, Naruto felt a sharp stab of pain when he all he found was the mess left behind.  
"Kiba."  
All of his things were gone and all of Sasuke's things had been destroyed and thrown about. More so than the hurt of his abandonment, Naruto felt angry at himself. Not for having pushed Kiba away but for not foreseeing just how hurt and impatient Kiba was. After dropping his bags Naruto headed for the kitchen and started to prepare a bowl of ramen, he wasn't hungry but he knew if he didn't force himself to eat then someone else would. He hadn't realized just how hard things had been on the people around him. He'd been in a state for years and he dragged the people around him down with him.  
'_I can't say I don't deserve this. I should have known._'  
Sasuke was a tragic loss, but it hurt so much more knowing that he'd let everything else slip away as well. Looking around he noticed just how empty everything was. His apartment was meant for two; it was meant for him and Kiba. He'd never realized just how few possessions he had and the emptiness was confirmation of his loneliness. He almost let himself cry but how could he? It was his own fault and crying wouldn't bring Kiba back to him.

"Naruto?"  
Sakura's gentle voice broke the heavy silence that had fallen over him. He ignored her and put the jug on to boil.  
"I talked to Kiba a few moments ago. He said he's sorry."  
He paused and furrowed his brows before turning to her, his attention having been finally captured.  
"About Sasuke or about leaving?"  
His tone was angrier than he should have been. It wasn't like he had a right to be, after all he did. She knew but instead hung her head and sighed.  
"About Sasuke." She didn't want to say what they both were thinking; instead she held her tongue and closed her eyes. She couldn't turn away but she couldn't look at him either. Naruto was a mess. His blonde hair was tangled, wilder than usual. His bright blue eyes were dull and lifeless, a sight she thought she'd never see. He looked completely crestfallen.  
"What else did he say? Did he say anything to you about us?" He knew her answer though. Kiba would be there with her if there was still a chance they could savior their relationship.  
"He loves you… He just needs time."  
And with that said she turned to leave. There was a brief pause as she did, she hoped she could say more but that was it. There was nothing left to say. He felt like there was nothing left for him at all. Sasuke was dead, Kiba was gone and he was right back where he started: cold and alone.

Kiba passed Sakura as she left Naruto's house and headed home. Their eyes meet and there was a brief nod before they continued their separate ways. He stood at the door and waited until Sakura was out of sight before he took a deep breath. He had to force himself to enter against his will. He thought he'd done the right thing but now he didn't know anything at all. He pushed the door open and entered silently.  
"Naruto?"  
He called out. His voice was soft and timid and he didn't expect Naruto to hear him. His breath caught in his throat when Naruto appeared. The two of them stared at each other without saying anything. After moments that seemed to stretch out forever, Kiba finally broke the silence.  
"I'm sorry."  
"Me too."  
There were no long explanations, tears or meaningful words exchanged. The two of them embraced and accepted everything that had happened. Things felt alright again. The pain was still there but for the two of them it felt easier to deal with, now that they were reunited.  
"I love you Kiba."  
"I love you too, I'll never leave again."  
Things were going to be okay.


End file.
